7+ Kids' Books Illustrated by Tuesday Mourning

Tuesday Mourning is a native of Colorado and a graduate of Brigham Young University. She is the illustrator of many book covers as well as a few picture books. Today's post highlights some of her work.

Jake Maddox Girl Sports Stories

These books published by Capstone tell sports stories starring female main characters. The titles in this series that Tuesday Mourning has illustrated include: 

• Back on the Beam
• Stolen Bases
• Soccer Spirit 
• Jump Serve
• Tennis Trouble
• Over the Net
• Ballet Bullies
• Cheer Challenge
• Full Court Dreams
• Storm Surfer
• Horseback Hopes
• Hoop Doctor
• Skater's Secret
• Half-pipe Prize
• Field Hockey Firsts

Kylie Jean Series

Also published by Capstone, the Kylie Jean series by Marci Peschke follows a spunky young girl on her mission to become a beauty queen - and queen of lots of other things as well. (Starred links are to my reviews.) 

• Blueberry Queen*
• Drama Queen
• Hoop Queen
• Rodeo Queen
• Dancing Queen* 
• Football Queen 
• Singing Queen
• Spelling Queen
• Cupcake Queen
• Pirate Queen
• Party Queen
• Summer Camp Queen
• Valentine Queen
• Green Queen
• Fashion Queen
• Soccer Queen

Maggie Brooklyn Mystery Series

Leslie Margolis is the author of these dog-themed mysteries starring amateur dogwalker Maggie Brooklyn. This series currently has three titles: 

• Girl's Best Friend
• Vanishing Acts
• Secrets at the Chocolate Mansion

Suddenly Supernatural Series 

This fantasy series by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel tells what happens to Kat, the daughter of a medium, when she discovers that she also has psychic powers. There are four books in the series: 

• School Spirit 
• Scaredy Kat 
• Unhappy Medium
• Crossing Over

Stand-Alone Titles

 

• The Two and Only Kelly Twins by Johanna Hurwitz
  Arlene and Ilene Kelly are identical twins, born just before and just after midnight on two consecutive June days. In this book, the girls take care of ferrets, fool new classmates into believing they're actually triplets, accidentally upset their neighbors during trick-or-treat and endure their first separation when one must spend the night in the hospital.
• Ten Ways To Make My Sister Disappear by Norma Fox Mazer
  Sprig is jealous of her older sister Dakota, who seems to have everything Sprig wants and calls her a baby on top of it. When Sprig finds herself in a difficult situation, though, she realizes she might be able to count on her sister after all.
• Eggs Over Evie by Alison Jackson
  In this middle grade novel, Evie, a young aspiring chef, strives to overcome her negative feelings about her parents' divorce and the relationships her mom and dad have started with new partners. 

6 Multicultural Easy Reader Series

Expand your beginning readers' cultural horizons with these multicultural easy reader series.

Katie Woo

by Fran Manushkin

Katie Woo is a Chinese-American girl based on the author's great-niece, Katherine Anne. Her stories involve everyday activities and adventures, including caring for a class pet, losing a tooth, and dealing with teasing. Each book is illustrated in full color by Tammie Lyon and divided into short chapters for easier reading. The Katie Woo books are listed below: 

• Best Season Ever
• The Big Lie 
• Boo, Katie Woo!
• Boss of the World
• Cartwheel Katie
• Cowgirl Katie
• Don't Be Blue
• Every Day's an Adventure
• Fly High, Katie
• Goodbye to Goldie
• A Happy Day
• It Doesn't Need to Rhyme, Katie
• Katie and the Class Pet
• Katie and the Fancy Substitute
• Katie Finds a Job
• Katie Goes Camping
• Katie in the Kitchen
• Katie Saves Thanksgiving
• Katie Saves the Earth
• Katie Woo and Her Big Ideas
• Katie Woo Celebrates
• Katie Woo Has the Flu
• Katie Woo Loves School
• Katie Woo Rules the School
• Katie Woo Tries Something New
• Katie Woo, Super Scout
• Katie Woo, Where Are You?
• Katie's Happy Mother's Day
• Katie's Lucky Birthday
• Katie's New Shoes
• Katie's Noisy Music
• Keep Dancing, Katie
• Look at You, Katie Woo!
• Make-Believe Class
• Moo, Katie Woo!
• Moving Day
• A Nervous Night
• No More Teasing
• No Valentines for Katie
• Piggy Bank Problems
• Red, White, and Blue and Katie Woo!
• Star of the Show
• Stick to the Facts, Katie
• Too Much Rain
• The Tricky Tooth
• What Do You Think, Katie?
• What Happens Next, Katie?
• What's in Your Heart, Katie?
• Who Needs Glasses?

Little Bill 

by Bill Cosby

Little Bill is an African-American boy who, in each book, learns an important lesson about the difference between right and wrong. There are a dozen books in the series, and the stories deal with everything from bullying to finding valuable treasure.

• The Best Way to Play
• The Day I Saw My Father Cry
• The Day I Was Rich
• Hooray for the Dandelion Warriors!
• The Meanest Thing to Say
• Money Troubles
• My Big Lie
• One Dark and Scary Night
• Shipwreck Saturday
• Super-Fine Valentine
• Treasure Hunt
• The Worst Day of My Life

Robin Hill School 

by Margaret McNamara

A culturally diverse group of children experience each season of the year in their classroom at Robin Hill School. There are over two dozen books in the series, and they cover everyday experiences as well as celebrations like Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Earth Day.

• All Year Round 
• The Class Mom
• Counting Race
• Dad Goes to School
• Earth Day
• Election Day
• Fall Leaf Project
• The First Day of School
• First-Grade Bunny
• The Garden Project
• Groundhog Day
• Halloween Fun
• Happy Graduation!
• Happy Thanksgiving
• The Luck of the Irish
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• One Hundred Days (Plus One)
• Picking Apples
• The Playground Problem
• President's Day 
• The Pumpkin Patch
• Smile! It's Picture Day
• Snow Day
• Too Many Valentines
• A Tooth Story
• Wash Your Hands!

Life of Max 

by Adria F. Klein

In this series, Max, a young black boy, celebrates various holidays with his friends, including Chinese New Year, Ramadan, Cinco de Mayo, Martin Luther King Day, and even one friend's Adoption Day. He also has everyday experiences, such as getting his haircut, visiting the doctor, and staying overnight at a friend's house.

• Max and Buddy Go to the Vet
• Max and the Adoption Day Party
• Max Celebrates Chinese New Year
• Max Celebrates Cinco de Mayo
• Max Celebrates Groundhog Day 
• Max Celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 
• Max Celebrates Ramadan 
• Max Goes on the Bus
• Max Goes Shopping
• Max Goes to a Cookout
• Max Goes to School
• Max Goes to the Barber
• Max Goes to the Dentist
• Max Goes to the Doctor
• Max Goes to the Farm
• Max Goes to the Farmers' Market
• Max Goes to the Fire Station
• Max Goes to the Grocery Store
• Max Goes to the Nature Center
• Max Goes to the Playground
• Max Goes to the Recycling Center
• Max Goes to the Zoo
• Max Learns Sign Language
• Max Stays Overnight
• Max's Fun Day

Ling and Ting 

by Grace Lin

Chinese-American twins Ling and Ting might look a lot alike, but at heart, they are very different. In three books, these two girls celebrate their differences while also highlighting what makes each girl unique. (The stories are inspired in part by real-life twins Blossom and Fern.) A fourth book is due out in November.

• Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same 
• Ling and Ting Share a Birthday 
• Ling and Ting Twice as Silly 
• Ling and Ting: Together in All Weather 

Ezra Jack Keats Series 

by Anastasia Suen

These books use characters created by Ezra Jack Keats in his popular picture books to tell new stories appropriate for newly independent readers. Peter and his friends deal with a loose tooth, build a clubhouse from a pile of wood, and chase down a runaway hamster in these four books:

• The Clubhouse 
• Hamster Chase 
• Loose Tooth
• Willie's Birthday

Reading with Little Miss Muffet, August 2015

New Book Behaviors

Every month when I sit down to write about Miss Muffet's latest book-related activities, I am always surprised by how many new things she is always doing. This month I've noticed three new behaviors:

• Identifying books by title. For a while, Miss Muffet would request her books based on the characters. "Read Stanley book." "Read Gumpy book." But within the past couple of weeks, she has suddenly become aware of titles. Now she brings the books over and presents them by name: "Stanley the Farmer," "Mr. Gumpy's Outing," etc. (Incidentally, she has also started requesting specific songs instead of just demanding loudly that somebody sing.)
• Pointing out the author's photo. Earlier this month, Miss Muffet was constantly pointing to author photos on the back flaps of picture books and saying, "Man," or "Lady." Each time, I off-handedly mentioned that the man or lady she was talking about was the person who wrote the book, or the author. All of a sudden, one day, she stopped saying man or lady, and started saying, "Aw ther." (Now to teach her to say illustrator...) 
• Reading aloud to herself. Miss Muffet has been "reading" independently for months, but usually not aloud. Now, though, she has started repeating to herself certain words and phrases as she flips through the pages of her favorite books. In just the past week or so, I have seen her "read" the entire last page of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and perfectly imitate my reading of several of the board books we received in the mail from Little Bee Books. 

Current Favorites

Here are Miss Muffet's latest favorite books, which are read at least daily in our house.

• You're a Big Sister by David Bedford, illustrated by Susie Poole
  We have less than five weeks until Miss Muffet's official promotion to big sister, so we are talking a lot about babies. My mom sent her this book, which focuses on what new babies do, and how big sisters can participate, without going into too many details about how babies get here. I do wish it talked some about mommy going to the hospital and the big sister getting to visit, but even without that information, it's one of the better sibling picture books I've seen. 
• My Best Ever: ABC Alphabet Book 
  My mom also bought this book, which she was hoping would keep Miss Muffet busy. It has worked for the most part, as there are lots of little doors to open and textures to explore. The favorite word Miss Muffet has learned from this book is "iguana," which she pronounces "all gone-a." 
• Peter Rabbit's ColorsThis book was mine as a child and it came home with us after our recent visit to New York. Miss Muffet has just started learning her colors, so this book gives her some good practice, but more than that, I think she just really likes Beatrix Potter's animal illustrations. 
• Imogene's Antlers by David Small
  This book is also mine from childhood, and I didn't anticipate that Miss Muffet would take any interest in it at all. Strangely, though, she keeps bringing it to the couch whenever anyone is sitting there and saying, "Read!" The surprise ending (spoiler alert) has also really gotten her interested in peacocks.
• More More More said the Baby by Vera B. Williams
  I have always enjoyed reading this book aloud, but my husband and I have both now read it so many times that we had to finally put it away for a little while. Miss Muffet really loves to point out the different characters and call them by name, however, and she is especially fascinated by Little Pumpkin and her grandma.

One Tip from Mom

• Don't automatically rule out longer books. Though it might not happen often, there are occasions when a toddler can actually sit for the length of a longer story. For weeks, Miss Muffet kept bringing me The Happy Lion, and I would avoid reading it to her because I knew there was no way she would sit for such a long story with so many words per page. Then, one day, she was particularly insistent, and to my surprise, not only did she sit for the whole story, but she also started repeating the word "Bonjour" over and over again. She wound up getting quite a bit out of the listening experience, and I realized that perhaps my refusal to read her a title I consider a "preschool" book was a bit short-sighted after all. 

Review Round-Up: Books for Beginning Readers, August 2015

As August comes to a close, it's time for another round-up of easy reader and chapter book reviews from around the blogs! If I have missed your review, please comment below, and I will gladly add it to the list. (Also, if you love books for beginning readers, please consider applying for the Easy Reader/Early Chapter Book category of the Cybils Awards. Newbies and veterans welcome!)

Easy Readers 

Becky's Book Reviews continues to review Dr. Seuss books every Saturday. Three recent posts focused on books for beginning readers: Marvin K. Mooney, Will You Please Go Now?, In a People House, and The Shape of Me and Other Stuff.

Family Bookshelf also shines a weekly spotlight on some of the older titles that still appeal to today's beginning readers with the #TBT Book Review. This month, one of the featured books was a perfect back to school title, Teach Us, Amelia Bedelia. 

Also focusing on back to school is Great Kid Books, with a review of The First Day of School from the Robin Hill School series by Margaret McNamara. 

Books4Your Kids.com published two reviews of easy readers this month: The Meanest Birthday Girl by Geisel Award winning author Josh Schneider and A Pig, a Fox, and a Box by Jonathan Fenske. Another pig-themed title, What This Story Needs is a Pig in a Wig, was reviewed by Sal's Fiction Addiction, Literary Hoots, and Kids Book a Day.

Finally, rounding out the easy reader list this month are three reviews of books in graphic format. Jean Little Library's Small Readers feature included posts about The Boulder Brothers: Meet Mo and Jo and Mr. Ball: An Egg-Cellent Adventure and Kids Book a Day reviewed Benjamin Bear in Brain Storms. 

Chapter Books

Ellen Potter's new Piper Green series continued to be popular among bloggers this month. Reviews appeared at Jean Little Library, Books4YourKids.com, Randomly Reading, and Ms. Yingling Reads.

Dory and the Real True Friend, another popular title from last month, got some more attention as well, from Geo Librarian, A Bookshelf Monstrosity, and Kids Book a Day.

Kids Book a Day also reviewed the first book in the new Backyard Witch series, entitled Sadie's Story, which was also one of the six chapter books I reviewed here at Story Time Secrets. The others were Pool Party Puzzler by Carolyn Keene, Lost in NYC by Nadja Spiegelman, Lulu and the Hamster in the Night by Hilary McKay, Merlin by Cynthia Lord, and Francine Poulet Meets the Ghost Raccoon by Kate DiCamillo.

Other chapter book reviews posted in August are listed below: 

• Digby O'Day in the Fast Lane by Shirley Hughes, reviewed by Literary Hoots
• DK Adventures: Horse Club by Patricia J. Murphy, reviewed by Jean Little Library
• Game Time, Mallory by Laurie Friedman, reviewed by One Great Book
• Ivy and Bean series by Annie Barrows, reviewed by The Family Bookshelf
• Owl Diaries: Eva Sees A Ghost by Rebecca Elliott, reviewed by Becky's Book Reviews
• Phoebe G. Green: Lunch Will Never Be the Same by Veera Hiranandani, reviewed by One Great Book
• Ranger in Time series by Kate Messner, reviewed by Redeemed Reader

Read last month's review round-up here.